The invention relates to an apparatus for producing foam from a liquid mixture.
Foam made from a soap and water mixture is a necessity in the lives of many people. For example, persons choosing to shave using a manual razor system must first lather the area to be shaved with foamed shaving cream. Shaving cream is foamed either by manually mixing water with a solid soap, by mixing water with a paste-type shaving cream, or by spraying liquid soap out of a shaving cream can. Manually mixing solid or paste-type soap with water is a time consuming process. Using shaving cream from a can is expensive and gives little indication as to when the supply is about to run out.
What is clearly needed then, is an apparatus and method for producing foam from a liquid mixture that is relatively quick to prepare and inexpensive, and allows the user a greater degree of warning that the supply is about to run out.
One embodiment of the invention includes a device having an elastic pliant bottle defining a single bottle chamber with an upper portion and a lower portion and an air intake orifice through the bottle in one way fluid communication with the lower portion of the bottle chamber. An aerator is contained within the bottle chamber in sealing fluid communication with the air intake orifice and a foam exit port from the bottle chamber is in one way fluid communication with the upper portion. When air is drawn into the bottle chamber through the air intake orifice foam is formed when the bottle resumes an original shape after being deformed. Finally, foam is expelled from bottle chamber through the foam exit port when the bottle is again deformed.
Another aspect of the invention includes a method of forming and dispensing foam, including obtaining the device described in the paragraph immediately above. A foamable liquid is placed within the lower portion of the bottle chamber and air is forced into the bottle chamber through the air intake orifice so as to form foam within the upper portion of the bottle chamber. Air is continued to be forced into the bottle chamber until sufficient foam is formed to cause the foam to exit the bottle chamber through the foam exit port.
Another embodiment of the invention includes a device consisting of an elastic pliant bottle defining a bottle chamber having an upper portion, a lower portion and an original shape. A foamable liquid is contained within the lower portion of the bottle chamber and a port extends through the bottle in fluid communication with the upper portion of the bottle chamber. When the foamable liquid within the bottle chamber is agitated the foamable liquid mixes with air and foam forms. Squeezing the bottle causes the foam to exit the bottle chamber through the port. When squeezing is discontinued the bottle chamber returns to the original shape with the suction of air into the bottle chamber.
Another aspect of the invention includes a method of forming and dispensing foam, including obtaining the device described in the paragraph immediately above. The foamable liquid within the bottle is agitated so as to form foam within the upper portion of the bottle chamber. Finally the bottle is squeezed so as to deform the bottle chamber and thereby cause the foam to exit the bottle chamber through the port.
A further embodiment of the invention includes a device having an elastic pliant bottle defining a single bottle chamber having an upper portion, a lower portion and an original shape. A foamable liquid is contained within the lower portion of the bottle chamber and a port extends through the bottle in fluid communication with the upper portion of the bottle chamber. When the foamable liquid within the bottle chamber is agitated the foamable liquid mixes with air and foam forms. Squeezing the bottle causes the foam to exit the bottle chamber through the port. When squeezing is discontinued the bottle chamber returns to the original shape with the suction of air into the bottle chamber.
Another aspect of the invention includes a method of forming and dispensing foam, including obtaining the device described in the paragraph immediately above. The foamable liquid within the bottle is agitated so as to form foam within the upper portion of the bottle chamber. Squeezing the bottle deforms the bottle chamber thereby causing the foam to exit the bottle chamber through the port.
Yet another embodiment of the invention includes a device having an elastic pliant bottle defining a bottle chamber having an upper portion, a lower portion and an original shape. A foamable liquid is contained within the lower portion of the bottle chamber and a port extends through the bottle in unobstructed fluid communication with the upper portion of the bottle chamber. When the foamable liquid within the bottle chamber is agitated, the foamable liquid mixes with air and foam forms. Squeezing the bottle causes the foam to exit the bottle chamber through the port. When squeezing is discontinued the bottle chamber returns to the original shape with the suction of air into the bottle chamber.
Another aspect of the invention includes a method of forming and dispensing foam, including obtaining the device described in the paragraph immediately above. The foamable liquid within the bottle is agitated so as to form foam within the upper portion of the bottle chamber. Squeezing the bottle deforms the bottle chamber thereby causing the foam to exit the bottle chamber through the port.